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Origin and history

The bridge over the Dronne de Bourdeilles is a medieval bridge built in the third quarter of the 14th century, located in the Dordogne department, in New Aquitaine. He crossed the Dronne in the centre of the village, at the foot of the château de Bourdeilles and downstream of the mill. This work, inscribed in historical monuments since July 2, 1987, illustrates medieval architecture with its eight uneven arches and its triangular fore-beeks serving as refuges.

The flood of 25 January 1735 severely damaged the bridge, requiring almost total reconstruction. Only a medieval vestige remains: the third arch in broken arch on the left bank, probably preserved by an adjacent construction. The 1736 repair estimate mentions the replacement of a drawbridge with an arcade, corresponding to the first arch on the castle side. Today, the bridge still connects the village to the Faubourg Notre-Dame, integrating old houses on the left bank.

From an architectural point of view, the bridge combines cradle arches and slightly broken, with widths ranging from 4.83 m to 8.25 m. Its apron, 3.95 m wide, supports local traffic while maintaining defensive elements such as fore-beeks. The latter, up to the parapet, even house the foundation of an ancient cross, a witness to its religious and community history. Owned by the commune, there remains a remarkable example of medieval bridges adapted to the needs of the following centuries.

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